FASHION BITES

PUCCI LEGS IT: PUCCI has teamed up with luxe US denim label Seven For All Mankind to create a limited edition line of coloured jeans. Designed by Pucci's creative director Matthew Williamson, the jeans go on sale in Pucci boutiques this month, costing around £200 a pair. [b] REESE'S (BEAUTY) PIECES: REESE WITHERSPOON has been named as the first global ambassador for Avon. As well as featuring in the brand's advertising and getting involved with product development, the actress will serve as honorary chairman of the Avon Foundation, a charity focused on breast cancer, domestic violence and emergency relief initiatives. "Avon is more than an iconic world class beauty leader - it is a company that is known the world over as a crusader for women's causes," Witherspoon commented. [b] BEENE CONGRATULATED: KENNETH COLE, who will receive the AMY Award - previously won by the likes of Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger - at the YMA Geoffrey Beene Fashion Scholarship Dinner in October, may soon hone his silver screen skills, too. He is rumoured in the press to be lining up a cameo appearance in Ugly Betty. [b] ROUND THE MULBERRY BUSH:MULBERRY is still not commenting on any rumours about the replacement of design director Stuart Vevers - who announced that he's off to Loewe last week. Various very fashionable names are being bandied about on the gossip grapevine but the British fashion house insists it will only make an announcement at the end of the summer.[b] GARDEN SCENTER: BEYONCE will combine a performance in NYC's Madison Square Garden tomorrow with promoting her new fragrance for Emporio Armani, Diamonds. Twenty "brand ambassadors" will be on hand to distribute samples to the audience, PAGESIX.COM reports. [b] BRINGING HOME THE BACON: RALPH LAUREN, in his capacity as chairman and ceo of Polo Ralph Lauren Corp, was the highest-paid executive of an American vendor last year. His £13 million pay package saw him top WWD's top ten list of vendor executive compensation for the third year in a row. [b] LITERARY CLASSICS: AS part of its upcoming Golden Age of Couture exhibition, the V&A are reissuing classic style bible The ABC of Men's Fashion by Hardy Amies. First published in 1964 and long out of print, the new version will include a foreword by Amies' protégée and design director of his label, Ian Garlant. [b] MOVERS AND SHAKERS: GISELE BUNDCHEN has sold her 3,679-square foot luxury Spanish-style LA pad for a cool £2 million – and the word on the grapevine is that Quentin Tarantino is the mystery buyer, according to PAGESIX.COM. The supermodel has moved into a town house in New York's West Village. [b] GOOD MANNERS COST NOTHING: VALENTINO isn't a fan of the table manners in America. "I notice that young ladies in New York tend to move around the room more, oftentimes before the second course has been served," the designer told Domino magazine. "I do not approve of this and believe in staying seated from first course to dessert." [b] SECONDARY SELLING:ARMANI will open a version of its Via Manzoni flagship store in cult online world Second Life – with Mr Armani himself greeting customers at the launch in the shape of his computerised alter ego, known as an avatar. Shoppers will be able to purchase Armani's top ten products using Second Life's currency, the Linden dollar, WWD reports. [b] FIGHTING TALK: SEAN JOHN's first foray into womenswear saw his label, Sean by Sean Combs, fold after less than a year – but the hip hop mogul hasn't given up his fashion ambitions, with "several major launches" planned for the near future, WWD reports. "What I learned is that no matter how much hype there is surrounding a line, in women's you have to be up for the fight," he said. [b] DRESS TO DISTRESS: GARY WEBER is the latest fashion brand to fall foul of copyright laws. Fenn Wright Manson claimed Weber had copied its Spiral Dot Satin Devore dress - forcing the label to destroy almost 1,000 of the £90 dresses in question, as well as paying compensation and legal costs. [b] THAT'S A RAP: MISCHA BARTON hasn't always been so groomed – as a teenager, she admits, she was as susceptible to trend disasters as the rest of us. "I was into the sweatpants look," the actress admitted to CONTACTMUSIC.COM. "Hip-hop didn't pass me by!" [b] MICROSIZE ME: MARC JACOBS has designed the Little Marc Box, a sweet baby kit comprising pyjamas and a toy bearing the slogan "Marc who?", based on the concept of a McDonald's Happy Meal. Strictly limited edition, the boxes go on sale exclusively at Colette in Paris for approximately £80 each from August 27. [b] LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR: HEIDI KLUM isn't a fan of new neighbours the Beckhams, who have brought media chaos to the area of Hollywood Hills - where she lives with husband Seal and their children - since their arrival last month. "You couldn't even drive by because the paparazzi were hanging out, waiting for them to leave the house," the supermodel said on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno. "It's kind of a pain." [b] SUMMER LOVING: Klum's ex, 57-year-old Formula One chief Flavio Briatore, has meanwhile been spotted smooching model girlfriend Elisabetta Gregoraci, 26, on a romantic break in Sardinia. [b] CARRIE ON SHOPPING: <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,sarah+jesica+parker"> SARAH JESSICA PARKER</a> has revealed that the clothes and accessories she kept from Sex and the City are "archived and stored like museum pieces" in a temperature-controlled vault, according to Metro. [b] TEMPEST TEMPTS US: REMEMBER to pop by the <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,diesel"> Diesel</a> store on the King's Road, which reopens today after being closed after a fire in April - if only to see the window installations created by new talent William Tempest using the original fire-damaged stock. [b] FLOATING TO THE TOP: THE chairman and chief executive of <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,debenhams"> Debenhams</a> have bought 250,000 shares in the company between them in an attempt to boost the share price, which hit an all-time low of 118p this week. [b] THE WONDER OF YOU: ECLECTIC jewellery boutique <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,kabiri"> Kabiri</a> is opening a concession in Selfridges' eagerly-anticipated Wonder Room on August 24. The space will showcase exclusive pieces from contemporary designers including Sho, Ana de Costa, Zoe and Morgan and Arena. [b] THIRD TIME LUCKY: <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,ivana+trump+"> IVANA TRUMP</a> will marry for the third time after getting engaged to on-off beau Rossano Rubicondi in St Tropez, her spokewoman has confirmed. The former Mrs Donald Trump – who has been seen sporting a huge pink diamond ring – is expected to make a formal announcement when she returns to the US. [b] JEWELLED UP: <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,madonna"> MADONNA</a>'s penchant for accessorising proved a hindrance this week, as it took the singer three goes to get through airport security in New York – shedding more jewellery with each attempt. "On the third try, she got through without the detector beeping and raised her fists in triumph," an onlooker told the Daily Mail. [b] IT'S IN THE STONES: <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,bulgari"> BULGARI</a> has posted a rise in profits of 8.9 per cent, to around £318 million, for the first half of the year. [b] A KNIGHT'S SALE: THE ever-quirky <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,tatty+devine"> Tatty Devine</a> will be selling exclusive wares at special prices between £10 and £20 at the medieval-themed Tapestry Goes West music festival, Margam Park, Wales from August 10 to 11. [b] ON A ROLE: ULRIK GARDE, senior vice president of international sales at <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,burberry"> Burberry</a>, will move to Georg Jensen as ceo from November 1. [b] **********NEW ON THE WEB THIS WEEK**********[b] SECRET SHOPPER: IF you can't get enough of guerrilla-style bargain hunting then you'll love new website SECRETSALES.COM. It's free to join and offers members up to 80 per cent discounts on designer brands. <a class="importedlink" href="http://www.secretsales.com">www.secretsales.com</a>. [b] SAINTLY SURFING: <a class="importedlink" href="/search/default.aspx/keywords,all+saints"> ALL SAINTS</a>. (August 3 2007, AM)